Intuitive Mamahttps://intuitivemama.net
Single parenting. Passionately.
Wed, 20 Mar 2019 19:35:37 +0000 en
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1 http://wordpress.com/https://s0.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngIntuitive Mamahttps://intuitivemama.net
Working From Home/Travelling With Kidshttps://intuitivemama.net/2015/09/23/working-from-hometravelling-with-kids/
https://intuitivemama.net/2015/09/23/working-from-hometravelling-with-kids/#respondWed, 23 Sep 2015 16:14:29 +0000http://intuitivemama.net/?p=284More Working From Home/Travelling With Kids]]>I’ve seen a lot of mamas ask what other stay-at-home-moms do to help offset the financial burden that can come along with having multiple children. I’ve been one of those moms. I don’t want my husband to be the only breadwinner (that’s a big responsibility!), I want to contribute financially, I want our kids to have the things they need (and some of the things they want), and I don’t want us to struggle. Plus, I NEED to do something, it’s just in my bones. There are many reasons why stay-at-home-moms (or dads!) might be interested in working from home.

But what do you do? What earns you the money you’re looking for? How do you find something that works, that you like to do?

In my case, I don’t have anything specific in mind that I need to earn – I just want to help contribute to the financial table. I want us to be able to save up for things more quickly. And further down the road, I want us to retire well.

I like to write, I love computers. I like to connect with people that have similar interests, I like to discuss things that matter. So yes, naturally, I have a blog. Many people think that blogging can earn them money – and they certainly can, but it takes a lot of effort and determination, among other things.

Something else I absolutely love is travelling. Learning about different countries and cultures. I fully intend to be well travelled when I go to my grave! But I recently discovered that I can help others to travel, from my own home. There is still a huge market out there of people who travel and want someone to take care of all the research and booking for them – at no extra cost to them. (Many people don’t understand that, and think they need to pay a premium for the services of a travel agent – but this is not the case; travel agents are paid by commission from the actual travel service providers). So; I love travel, I like to connect with people, I want to earn an income. Combine those things and what do you get? A home-based travel agent. I recently decided to take the leap and become a travel agent, so I get to fulfill those desires (AND live vicariously through my clients as they go on the vacations I book for them!)

The most important thing in figuring out how to acquire clients? Marketing. Specifically, word-of-mouth. I started with my family and friends, I built a Facebook page, and I market there. Social media is HUGE in marketing a business these days.

While you’re here, why not check it out? My Facebook page is here. My website is still coming, but should be up soon. I also place free ads on sites like Kijiji. I always include pictures, as many people are very visual. I want something visually appealing to potential clients, to capture their interest, to get them thinking about travelling, picturing themselves in the places in the photos, to get them to contact me and hopefully, to book with me. If you’re going to travel, there’s no reason not to book with a travel agent. It costs you nothing extra, you get superb service before, during and after your trip, and you get the knowledge and expertise of said travel agent. Plus, it saves you the hassle and the stress of having to put together your itinerary, the time it takes to do all the research, and potential mistakes when you go to book, if you’re not that familiar with doing bookings yourself. So, that’s what I’m here for! To take care of all of this, for each of my clients. It’s something I love to do, so I’m genuinely providing a beneficial service to them. Wherever they want to go, I can book it for them. Wherever they live, I can book it for them (that’s what’s so great about it – everything is done quickly and securely over the internet!).

These days, as larger families are becoming more popular again, travelling with kids and other family members is on the rise. There are certain hotel chains that cater to larger families, understanding that there are certain needs that pertain to them that may not matter to couples or families with only one or two kids. We, having five littles, are one of those larger families looking for resorts that have the things we need. Bigger rooms, more beds, connecting rooms, rooms with fridges and microwaves, enclosed bedrooms within suites, a second bathroom, kids activities, kids pools, family-centred restaurants and entertainment. Bigger vehicle rentals. Seats together on the plane. All of these things are what larger families are looking for (but it doesn’t stop there).

So because I am one of those moms in the larger family category, I’ve been researching this niche area a lot lately. I understand what it means to travel with multiple kids, especially young ones who all need a lot of attention, so I want to be able to connect on that level with my large family clients, and cater to them.

Have you been on a trip with your larger family? What sort of things did you find helpful? What things could you have used that you didn’t receive or have access to? What would make it easier for you? What were you so thankful for while travelling with your kids?

]]>https://intuitivemama.net/2015/09/23/working-from-hometravelling-with-kids/feed/0Screen shot 2015-09-22 at 1.49.13 PMin2itivemamaBrazilVenice, ItalyCastle Ruins in ScotlandBarcelo Maya Palace Beach ResortBeaches Negril Resort & Spa, Negril, JamaicaGrand Oasis Palm HotelsCrown Paradise Club Cancun, MexicoMeliá Puerto Vallarta, MexicoThe CaribbeanParents, Love Your Childrenhttps://intuitivemama.net/2015/09/14/parents-love-your-children/
https://intuitivemama.net/2015/09/14/parents-love-your-children/#respondMon, 14 Sep 2015 03:30:52 +0000http://intuitivemama.net/2015/09/14/parents-love-your-children/More Parents, Love Your Children]]>I saw something yesterday that I cannot ever unsee. It’s been etched into my mind and I can’t stop thinking about it. I cried when I saw it.
It was footage of a man somewhere in Eastern Europe where Isis members had shot his young children dead. He was crying and screaming and clutching them as their lifeless bodies just hung limp from his arms. Someone had to pull him away and lay his daughters back down onto a sheet on the ground, beside more dead children.
It.was.awful.

It made me think about my children, how lucky I am to have them, and how things can change drastically in an instant. How, no matter how safe you think you might be, anything can happen. To anyone. Anywhere. It made me feel guilty for any time I’ve ever gotten mad at my kids for doing something they shouldn’t be doing. It made me think that that man would likely give anything to hear his kids argue, to wake up to a huge mess in the morning, to find new drawings on his walls or muddy footprints on his floor.

I’m so troubled by what I saw that I can’t stop thinking about it. I wish I hadn’t seen it, which is why I’m not sharing it. It was a message about refugees, that not everyone from “over there” is bad, that many are trying to escape the madness. I have no trouble believing that.

My point here in all of this is this: as terrible and absolutely heart-wrenching as it was to watch, it inspired me to do a little writing. I’m not really one for sharing my creative pieces (yet), so bear with me… But it’s such an important topic.

*****

Parents, Love Your Children

Parents, hug your children, and hold them near and dear. Calmly break apart their fights and wipe away their tears. Cherish all the good times, yes, but keep this in your mind: the bad is not so bad, you see, so remember to be kind.

Parents love your children, show them that you care. Tell them that you’re proud of them, and always be right there. Learn to love the mud, the spills, the cuts, the scrapes, the falls. Be thankful for the Sharpie marker drawings on the walls.

Don’t fear them growing older; help them pave their way. Teach them to be strong and loving, sensitive and brave. Don’t yell at them for being children, they’re little and they’re learning. They’ll test your patience, nerves and memory and leave you fuming.

But take a breath, a big step back, what’s in the bigger picture? Realize what you have and understand it makes you richer. Let your kids be kids, don’t be too hard on them next time. Don’t fret about the sobs, the fights the arguments and whines.

Cuz somewhere in the world right now’s a parent who is mourning, who’s tears and heavy heart will last all night and through the morning. They’ve lost the spark, the heart, the very reason for their living. How can they keep on going, breathing, loving, growing, giving?

Somewhere in the world there is a grieving mom and dad, who’d give anything to fret or worry, argue or get mad. Know that what you have is precious, never ending love. Be thankful that you have your kids, to hug and kiss and love.

Live each day like it’s your last; teach them to do the same. You don’t know what the future holds, when you might lose this game. Your children are a blessed gift, they’re innocent and pure. Do the things you can to keep them even happier.

Don’t take things for granted, don’t wish time away. Enjoy the stage they’re in right now, and let them go and play. Hold them just a little closer, breathing in their smell. Memorize their every feature, look and smile and tell.

Parents hold your children, and never let them go. Even when they’re all grown up they’re your babies, don’t you know. In a flash it can be gone, be taken all away. So parents love your children just a little more each day.

*****

Sometimes I need to remind myself to take it easy with the kids. When all 5 of them seem to gang up on me it’s hard not to get frustrated and start yelling. But let me tell you, seeing footage like this sure does make my heart go out to the man in it, and so very thankful that I have my kids. It makes me think, how empty my life would be without any or all of them, even when they’re writing on the walls, screaming at each other, arguing, fussing and fighting. I would never ever want the last thing I say to them to be something angry or yelling. I cherish every minute I have with my children and I love them all more than words can describe. The world is a scary place, lots of scary things happen, whether it’s diseases or terrorist activity or even just accidents. So I hope this can be a reminder to all the parents out there to make sure their kids know how much they love them, every day. Yell less, laugh more. Argue less, cuddle more. Let the little things go, don’t make mountains out of molehills. Love. Be patient. Be kind.

]]>https://intuitivemama.net/2015/09/14/parents-love-your-children/feed/0in2itivemamaThe Mommy Bucket Listhttps://intuitivemama.net/2015/09/04/the-mommy-bucket-list/
https://intuitivemama.net/2015/09/04/the-mommy-bucket-list/#respondFri, 04 Sep 2015 04:18:31 +0000http://intuitivemama.net/2015/09/04/the-mommy-bucket-list/More The Mommy Bucket List]]>I first heard of the term “bucket list” when the movie came out (The Bucket List, starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson). The term means a list of things you want to do before you die. It’s both exciting and scary at the same time for a bunch of reasons I won’t get into. It sounds so… morbid, almost! But tonight I came up with a new definition, a tweaked version. I was thinking, why not come up with a mommy bucket list that isn’t full of things you want to do before you die, rather, it’s a little list of things that make you feel good about yourself. I’m not talking about crazy, off-the-deep-end things that will burn a hole in your pocket. I mean little things that you can do to rejuvenate your mind, body and soul. You know that feeling you get when you walk out of the hair salon with a fantastic new hair cut/style that looks absolutely fabulous? It makes you feel like walking down the street and flinging your hair around like on the shampoo commercials? That’s the feeling I’m aiming for.
That’s me with my son and my fab new haircut this summer!

All too often, us moms put our own needs and desires on the back burner. We take care of the needs of our children, and our husbands, first. We do this because it’s in our nature to be giving and nurturing. But we don’t realize that it’s important to tend to our own needs, too. If we are not feeling our best, if we aren’t on top of our game, how can we best take care of others? It’s ok to ask for a little time to ourselves now and then. It’s not selfish – although I’m betting most of us feel that way!

So here’s the challenge: make a list of about 20 things that make you feel good about yourself, like a human being, like a woman. Things that don’t necessarily take a lot of time or money. It can be something simple, like taking your favourite book out to a park and enjoying reading for an hour or two; it can be going for an aimless drive; it can be baking, walking, a girls night out, getting your hair or nails done, doing a craft with your kids, looking at old photograph books, planning your next vacation, drawing up your dream home. Even taking a nap. It doesn’t matter what it is – there’s no right or wrong answer here, and everyone’s list will be different.

Now, take your list, and post it somewhere. On a fridge, on a cork board, at your computer desk. Put it somewhere that you’ll see it often.

About once every week, do something on your list. Put effort into making it happen. Tell your spouse that it’s a must – it’s as simple as that. If you want to be on your A-game, you need to feel refreshed, rejuvenated, alive, important. You need to matter, too. I can promise you that when you feel good about yourself, you’ll smile more, your tone of voice will be more pleasant, your shoulders will feel more relaxed, your mind will be clearer. Your good mood will rub off on others, and it will make running your family smoother.

To make it fun and more exciting, cut strips of paper or use card stock and write out each item on a piece. Even decorate them if you want to. Get an old bucket, or a mason jar – go ahead and decorate that, too! Make it just the way you want it. And when you get to your carved-out time for the week, pull a piece out and do whatever it says! You already know you’ll like it, because these things are on a list that you created. Things that you know will make you feel good. Great. Alive.

Sounds good, right? Sounds simple. But I call it a challenge for a reason. It’s not always easy to carve out time for ourselves as mothers; but that doesn’t make it any less important. Sometimes I get stuck in a bit of a rut, and stuck in the house with the wintertime blues, and I have to literally force myself to go out. But when I get that little bit of me-time to rejuvenate, it’s always so worth it!

So – who’s up for the challenge? What’s on your mommy bucket list? Feel free to share thoughts and ideas!

]]>https://intuitivemama.net/2015/09/04/the-mommy-bucket-list/feed/0in2itivemamaThat's me with my son and my fab new haircut this summer!Fried Green Tomatoes with Spinach Egg Scramblehttps://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/20/fried-green-tomatoes-with-spinach-egg-scramble/
https://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/20/fried-green-tomatoes-with-spinach-egg-scramble/#respondThu, 20 Aug 2015 18:16:07 +0000http://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/20/fried-green-tomatoes-with-spinach-egg-scramble/More Fried Green Tomatoes with Spinach Egg Scramble]]>This morning I enjoyed a delicious, healthy breakfast that was chock-full of protein, vitamins and minerals. Whenever I eat something really healthy, I notice a difference in how I feel. I feel better – more awake, more energetic, and better equipped to handle the day. I also notice that I’m hungry less. It’s because the foods I’m eating aren’t full of empty calories and they’re not breaking down into unnecessary products. The foods I’m eating contain things my body needs and is satisfied with. And since breakfast is arguably the most important meal of the day, the healthier your breakfast is, the better.

So I started with some fresh, garden-picked, organic green tomatoes, 2 bowls and a small plate. I put about 1/2 a cup of coconut flour on the plate, mixed a free-range egg with some water in one bowl, and in the other bowl I dumped about 3/4 of a cup of the Wheat Belly Baking Mix that I posted about in my peanut butter breakfast ball recipe, and mixed in a bit of garlic powder, pepper and Herbamare zesty seasoning. I thickly sliced a couple of small tomatoes, covered both sides of each slice with the coconut flour, dipped it in the egg mixture, and then covered it in the baking mix. Next, I placed it a small pan heated with a generous amount of coconut oil, and fried the tomatoes for a couple of minutes per side, until each side was a nice, slightly crisp, golden brown.

Then, I cracked a couple of eggs in a frying pan with just a bit of coconut oil in it, and when the eggs were almost done, I added a generous handful of baby spinach. It only takes about a minute of stirring the eggs and spinach together to finish cooking the eggs and wilt the greens. I sprinkle in some Herbamare zesty seasoning as well.

The result:

Mmmmmmm. Bon appetit!

]]>https://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/20/fried-green-tomatoes-with-spinach-egg-scramble/feed/0IMG_0956in2itivemamaCauliflower Souphttps://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/15/cauliflower-soup/
https://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/15/cauliflower-soup/#respondSat, 15 Aug 2015 18:32:22 +0000http://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/15/cauliflower-soup/More Cauliflower Soup]]>omg… I know I’ve been posting a lot of recipes lately (I do want to build up my recipe stash…), but I have to post this one. It’s chillier today and although it’s still summer, it just felt like a soup day. Skies are grey, it’s threatening rain… So I decided to give this a whirl. I’m really loving using my new food processor (thanks, Mom!). This turned out soooo good!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2. Tbsp butter

2 leeks, sliced

1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

I large head of cauliflower, rinsed and chopped into florets

3 1/2 – 4 cups chicken stock

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Nutmeg, to top (optional)

Shredded cheddar, to top

Directions

Melt/heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan. Sauté the onions, leeks and garlic for about 10 minutes until tender, stirring often to avoid browning. Add in cauliflower florets and sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the stock, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Pour the soup mixture into a food processor and add salt and pepper to taste. Process until your desired consistency.

Spoon out into bowls and top with a light sprinkle of nutmeg (optional) and shredded cheddar. Serve and enjoy!

]]>https://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/15/cauliflower-soup/feed/0in2itivemamaGuacamole in Under 10 Minuteshttps://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/13/guacamole/
https://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/13/guacamole/#respondThu, 13 Aug 2015 23:18:14 +0000http://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/13/guacamole/More Guacamole in Under 10 Minutes]]>This afternoon I was in the mood for guacamole – so I made some quick and easy dip using just a handful of ingredients and my food processor. You can omit the onions if you don’t like it to have a kick.

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados

2-3 medium tomatoes, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 red onion, finely diced

1/2 a lime

Sea salt

Herbamare zesty seasoning*

Directions

Spoon the avocado flesh into your processor, along with the onions, garlic, sea salt, seasoning and squeeze the juice out of the lime. Process til smooth yet still chunky.

Add in the tomatoes and pulse about 7 or 8 times so they remain in pieces. You can process smoother if you wish, or keep it chunky.

Serve with your favourite organic tortilla chips, crackers, or even raw veggies. I like to top mine with a few pieces of diced tomatoes and sometimes some feta cheese. Yum!

* this is Herbamare; I use it on almost everything. I love it!

]]>https://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/13/guacamole/feed/0IMG_0925-0in2itivemamaDelightful Dessert: Fresh Mango Cobbler by Ani Phyohttps://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/13/delightful-dessert-fresh-mango-cobbler-by-ani-phyo/
https://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/13/delightful-dessert-fresh-mango-cobbler-by-ani-phyo/#respondThu, 13 Aug 2015 03:09:53 +0000http://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/13/delightful-dessert-fresh-mango-cobbler-by-ani-phyo/More Delightful Dessert: Fresh Mango Cobbler by Ani Phyo]]>While visiting my parents this summer, I took a look through my mom’s cookbooks. In her vast collection, I spotted two books by Ani Phyo, who writes an easy-to-absorb raw food explanation and many recipes. I wrote a whole bunch down from both books, and tonight I served a delicious dessert inspired by her Raw Food Kitchen book; Fresh Mango Cobbler. I isually like to put my own twist on recipes, and I’m thinking you could substitute peaches, pears, apples, etc. for the mangos, but in tonight’s case I stuck pretty much exactly to the recipe. I’m glad I did! It was so good!

Ingredients

Crust

3 cups pecans (I had to use 1/2 pecans, 1/2 almonds to make the 3 cups since I was out of pecans)

For the crust, process the pecans, vanilla bean and salt to a powder. Add in the dates and process until well mixed. Pour the mixture out into a bowl; don’t scrape off the excess. Pat down half of the mixture into a pie plate, and set aside the rest.

For the syrup, put the dates, oil, and vanilla bean into the food processor and process til mixed well. Add enough water for a syrupy texture.

For the filling, peel and dice 3-4 fresh, ripe mangos. Put into a large bowl and toss with the syrup.

Pour the mangos onto the crust, and top with the other half of the nut mixture.

Voila!

It really is quite tasty. It’s the first time I’ve tried a raw “dessert” and I was impressed!

(P.S. If you’ve never tried eating raw, don’t know what it is, or are scared by it, these books are a great resource! I’ve already tried a handful of yummy recipes! I have to say, I am impressed. Eating raw isn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. Having a food processor actually makes it easy and yes, fun to prepare! It’s so much healthier than many of the foods that people consider healthy these days. Raw just makes sense! Have a look at Ani’s website and pick up her books – you’ll be glad you did!)

]]>https://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/13/delightful-dessert-fresh-mango-cobbler-by-ani-phyo/feed/0in2itivemamaCran-Nut Wild Ricehttps://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/12/cran-nut-wild-rice/
https://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/12/cran-nut-wild-rice/#respondWed, 12 Aug 2015 21:43:31 +0000http://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/12/cran-nut-wild-rice/More Cran-Nut Wild Rice]]>Another hit in our family was something I served last night. I was hugely impressed when my husband took a big heaping second helping! The sprouted wild rice makes it super easy for your body to digest, and believe it or not, it makes it easier to digest other foods as well.

To start, you’ll need to soak about 1 1/2 cups of organic wild rice in about 3 cups of water, for 24-48 hours. Rinse it a few times and change the water within that period.

When it’s time to make your dinner, rinse it well and toss with the following ingredients:

1 – 1 1/2 cups dehydrated cranberries

3/4 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup sliced almonds

3/4 cup walnut pieces

2-3 Tbsp raw organic honey, slightly melted

This is what you’ll end up with:

A lovely side dish that pairs well with chicken, pork, or fish. Delish.

The honey just gives it a titch of a sweet flavour, but not overwhelmingly so. Try it with 2 Tbsp first before adding a third so you can decide if it’s sweet enough for your liking.

(Note: I soaked my rice for about 30 hours – the longer it’s soaked, the more the grains will “sprout”, and the healthier they are).

Enjoy!

]]>https://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/12/cran-nut-wild-rice/feed/0in2itivemamaGazpacho? Yes please!https://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/11/gazpacho-yes-please/
https://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/11/gazpacho-yes-please/#respondTue, 11 Aug 2015 19:06:16 +0000http://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/11/gazpacho-yes-please/More Gazpacho? Yes please!]]> A while ago, my mom made something for me for lunch, and I had no idea what it was called. She told me it’s called “Gazpacho”, and I thought, how did I never know about Gazpacho before now?!? It’s a cold, vegetable-based soup with history mostly in Spain and Portugal.

I’ve seen a couple of recipes, and my mom’s recipe, and I’ve got it down to an art now (I think!). It’s so delicious and very nutritious! You can add/delete items as you so wish – it’s so versatile!

Here is how I’ve made mine:

Keep in mind that my measurements are approximate as I generally don’t measure! Also try to use organic ingredients as much as possible, to keep it as healthy as possible.

A couple handfuls of spinach (can use a mixture of spinach/romaine/arugula)

1/4 red onion, peeled and diced

1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 large cucumber, diced

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 avocado, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2-3 Tbsp each sunflower seeds, hemp hearts and chia seeds

Sea salt, pepper to taste

A handful of fresh basil

About a cup of chicken broth (or filtered water)

Add ingredients in this order to a food processor and pulse several times. You don’t want to liquify it, you want it to be chunky with just a little broth.

Chop up some kalamata olives and crumble some feta cheese. Spoon the Gazpacho into bowls and top with the cheese and olives.

That’s it! So easy, so delicious, so healthy. Even my kids eat it (they do love vegetables to begin with though..!)

Enjoy!

]]>https://intuitivemama.net/2015/08/11/gazpacho-yes-please/feed/0in2itivemamaKids and Responsibilityhttps://intuitivemama.net/2015/07/30/kids-and-responsibility/
https://intuitivemama.net/2015/07/30/kids-and-responsibility/#respondThu, 30 Jul 2015 20:56:53 +0000http://intuitivemama.net/2015/07/30/kids-and-responsibility/More Kids and Responsibility]]>I literally JUST posted about feeling good as a mother and a woman, about perceiving yourself in a positive way so others perceive you in a similar fashion. But I just have to share something else quickly.

I’m sitting here, outside on one of the hottest days in the Niagara Peninsula this summer. I love it – I love the heat. I might complain about it from time to time, but I love the summer heat.

Anyway, I hear the faint “plop………. plop” getting louder and louder, and then I look up and realize that a van is approaching. Hanging out of said van is a pair of children’s arms. The child is sitting there comfortably, in an assumed air-conditioned van, throwing out newspapers rolled up and secured with elastics onto driveways.

Why are these parents spending their time driving their 11-year-old around in a van so that they can get paid to deliver newspapers? A job that, usually, is a child’s first opportunity to learn about responsibility with money, earning their own income by safely delivering newspapers to customers who are expecting the same timely delivery every day.

When I was little, I had a couple of different newspaper delivery routes. I delivered those papers in the hot summer sun, in the cold winter snow, in blizzards and in rainstorms – BY MYSELF. I remember the rain coming down so hard one day that, when I was done delivering papers, I took off my shoes and walked back to my house in the river that became of our street. I maybe had my parents help a few times, when it was really nasty out there. But for the most part, especially on beautiful, hot summer days like today, I was out there by myself, doing the job I was hired to do, earning my own money. My parents weren’t hired for the job – I was. It was my way of proving to my parents that I was responsible. What kind of responsibility would I be proving if they were driving me around every day to deliver these newspapers?

And what’s more – I realized that the newspapers have been delivered like this ever since I arrived 6 weeks ago – at the end of the driveway, rolled up and secured with an elastic. So that likely means that the delivery method is the same as what I witnessed today. Today there isn’t a blizzard, there isn’t a huge rainstorm. It’s just hot. Which is not abnormal for here. So why drive them around and basically do it for them?

In my humble opinion, this is not teaching your child about responsibility. It’s teaching them that there’s an easy way out of everything, and that’s not how the real world works.

It really just irks me. Of course, there could be extenuating circumstances that would prevent an eager child from delivering newspapers the way you or I may think is the “normal” way. And granted, I’m not there yet. My kids aren’t old enough, so we aren’t finding ourselves in this situation. Maybe they have soccer practise and its interfering with the timely delivery of the newspapers once in a while. But for the most part, a decision would have to be made – soccer, or delivery route. And so I thought, I wonder what you, my readers, believe? How do you feel about something like this? Or am I missing something?